The Garifuna Collective Announces New Album: ABAN

ABAN is the new album from Belize’s THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE, set for worldwide release June 21st, 2019 on Stonetree Records, Central America’s premier independent label.

ABAN is The Garifuna Collective’s first release since their critically-acclaimed tribute to Andy Palacio in 2014 (Ayó, 2014 Stonetree). The album’s title translates as “ONE” from the Garifuna language, and reflects the spirit of unity and self-sufficiency that has kept this Afro-Indigenous people, language and culture alive and fighting in the Caribbean and Central America for over 300 years.

Members of The Garifuna Collective have been making music together for more than 20 years and this album reflects the deep bond between them. In recent years, the band has been experimenting with new Garifuna rhythms, recording concepts, and even some “organic electronic” music and dub techniques. ABAN breaks loose to redefine Garifuna music for a new generation, while maintaining strong roots to traditional concepts and identity.The album brings different traditional rhythms to the forefront – such as Wanaragua and the semi-sacred Hüngü-Hüngü  and creatively juxtaposes them with new melodies from the deep well of Garifuna song. The results are fresh and adventurous; proof that the Garifuna Collective is still at the vanguard of the long journey to bring the Garifuna’s soulful and vibrant music to the world.

The Garifuna Collective will be touring Europe and North America in support of their new album, ABAN, this summer — the ensemble’s first major international tour since 2014.

The European leg of The Garifuna Collective’s tour kicks off on June 6th in the Netherlands, with stops at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival, Norway’s Førde Festival, and YAAM Berlin. While the North American tour begins on July 12th in Montana, with stops at the Calgary Folk Fest, The Cleveland Museum of Art, and New York City’s Summerstage. Additional fall 2019 North American tour dates to be announced.

The Garifuna Collective 2019 ABAN Tour Dates

Europe
June 6 – Afro-Pfingsten, Winterthur, NL
June 7 – YAAM, Berlin, DE
June 8 – IMMF, Nijmegen, NL
June 15 – Ethno Port Festival, Poznan, PL
June 22 – Wales, UK (Venue TBA)
June 23 – Liverpool, UK (Venue TBA)
June 28 – Lent Festival, Maribor, SI
June 29 – Fusion Festival, Lärz, DE
July 5 – Roskilde Festival, DK
July 6 – Førde Festival, NO
July 7 – Afrika Festival, Hertme, NL

North America:
July 12 – Montana Folk Festival, Butte, MO
July 20 – Grassroots Festival, Trumansburg, NY
July 21 – Schenectady Central Park, Schenectady, NY
July 24 – Cleveland Music of Art, Cleveland, OH
July 25 – Calgary Folk Fest, Calgary, AB
August 2 – Summerstage, New York, NY
Aug 16 – Invermere Festival, BC
Aug 17 – Salmon Arm Festival, Salmon Arm, BC
Aug 22 – Portland, ME – TBA
Aug 23 – Bangor, ME – TBA

About The Garifuna Collective

The Garifuna Collective has performed in over 30 countries in 5 continents and has been part of the most celebrated Garifuna albums of all time, including the critically acclaimed Wátina, recipient of the Womex and BBC World Music Award and voted by Amazon as the #1 World Music Album of All Time.

They are a seasoned collective of musicians from across different generations, with a dynamic that comes from playing and traveling the world together, sharing their music and stories with global audiences. Their performances spark the history and soul of Garifuna culture into vivid life. While their recordings dip into the massive well of Garifuna songs to create new compositions – some of the singers in the band know hundreds of songs!

The Garifuna people, also known as Garinagu, are descendants of Afro-indigenous people from the Caribbean island of St Vincent who were exiled to Central America by the British in the 18th century.

The group has maintained its strength despite incredible adversity but the history of the Garifuna people is one of struggle. The Collective take their place in a long line of ancestors, maintaining and growing the Garifuna cultural identity, in a conversation among generations and traditions.

About Stonetree Records

Founded in Benque Viejo town in western Belize, Stonetree Records is the brainchild of award-winning producer Ivan Duran, and is firmly established as one of the leading independent record labels of Central America and the Caribbean. Since 1995, Stonetree has released a steady stream of internationally-acclaimed albums, introducing the world to Garifuna music with artists like Aurelio, Andy Palacio and The Garifuna Collective, and receiving the prestigious WOMEX award alongside the late great Andy Palacio.